Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has restated his firm commitment to restoring a targeted fuel subsidy if elected in 2027, emphasising that the policy is designed to ease the cost of living and restore the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians.
In a statement clarifying his position, Atiku declared: “On the question of subsidy, my position has not changed and will not change: I will restore it! A nation as blessed as ours has no business abandoning its citizens to hardship. Nigeria is rich enough to look after her own.”
He explained that the true measure of a nation’s wealth is not how much revenue the government collects, but how much the money in the pockets of its people can buy.
“I want wages to have value again. I want farmers to move produce without transport swallowing their profits. I want families to fill their baskets without emptying their pockets. I want businesses to produce, employ and prosper,” Atiku said.
“That is why I will restore targeted subsidy and put purchasing power back in the hands of Nigerians.”
Atiku highlighted the cascading effects of high fuel prices under the current administration: “When fuel rises, transport rises. When transport rises, food rises. When food rises, families suffer. I will break that wretched chain that has defined our national life in the nearly four years of Tinubu’s presidency.”
He stressed that his proposal is not a return to the old import-based subsidy system, which he described as a racket. Instead, the intervention will be targeted, supporting Nigerian domestic production and refining, reducing energy costs, and delivering measurable relief to households and businesses.
“I will support Nigerian production, reduce energy costs and restore purchasing power. I will not restore the import racket; I will restore relief,” he affirmed.
Atiku noted that while he did not initially oppose the removal of the subsidy, the failure to transparently account for the savings and the resulting hardship for Nigerians had changed the reality on the ground. He pledged that anyone who misappropriated subsidy-related funds would be required to refund them.
The former Vice President reiterated that under his leadership, the naira in the pockets of Nigerians would be made more valuable, daily living more affordable, and the people more secure.